We were watching the Rick Steves Christmas special (again) last week with the 12 days of Christmas on the brain. So when Rick mentioned that an English family was baking mince pies so they could eat one for each of the 12 days, we took notice.
On the Sixth Day of Imported Christmas, we baked tiny mince pies. We were too excited to make them from scratch, so we cheated, using canned mince and frozen pie dough. We also only managed to get nine pies out of the ingredients, so we’ll have to make more to finish out our 12 days.
Mincemeat pies are an English staple dating back to the 13th century when Crusaders returned from the Holy Land with new spices and recipes. Traditionally, English Christians made their mince pies manger-shaped and included three spices—cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg—to represent the gifts of the Magi to the Christ child. These pies also included minced meat, suet, fruit, and a preservative (usually alcohol). By the 18th century, the filling began to transition to just fruit instead of meat.
Modern mince pies are much smaller, but still contain the mandatory three spices. They also often include a pastry star on top to represent the star of Bethlehem. Though they can be eaten year-round, they are pretty much a requirement at Christmas time. Children leave mince pies out for Santa (one of his favorites). And some people still ascribe to the belief that eating one mince pie on each of the twelve days of Christmas (between Christmas and Epiphany) will bring good luck.
Mince pies receive mixed reviews in modern America, but they were a staple through the 1940s. A 1907 Washington Post editorialist said of mince pie, “There is no other pie to take its place. Custard pie is good and so is apple pie, but neither has the uplighting power and the soothing, gratifying flavor possessed by mince pie when served hot, with a crisp brown crust.” Of course, the same article that quotes that editorialist mentions that these pies caused everything from indigestion to murder and thwarted prohibition with minces that were 14% alcohol.
This year, I found that knowing the history and symbolism of these tiny pies made them much more significant than just “that raisin pie that my grandma really likes.” So whatever your feelings about mince, I hope you’ll give the tiny pies a chance this Christmas.
Twelve Days of Imported Christmas
- The First Day:Sfincione—Sicily’s Christmas Pizza
- The Second Day:Pavuchky—Ukraine’s 8-Legged Decorators
- The Third Day: Chicken Bones—New Brunswick’s Crunchy Christmas Treat
- The Fourth Day: Advent Wreath—Germany’s Candlelit Countdown
- The Fifth Day: Julbord—Sweden’s Christmas Feast
- The Sixth Day: Mince Pies—England’s Medieval Advent Treat
FAQs
Mince pies were first served in the early middle ages, and the pies were quite sizeable, filled with a mixture of finely minced meat, chopped up fruit and a preserving liquid. Mincemeat originally came about as a good way of preserving meat, without salting, curing, smoking or drying it.
What was originally the making of the case of mincemeat pies at Christmas was meant to Symbolise? ›
In the Tudor period they were rectangular, shaped like a manger and often had a pastry baby Jesus on the lid. They were made from 13 ingredients to represent Jesus and his disciples and were all symbolic to the Christmas story.
What was the English tradition of eating a mince pie on each of the days of Christmas said to bring? ›
Eating a mince pie on each of the 12 days of Christmas is said to bring good luck. Christmas pudding is another important dish. It's a rich pudding made with fruit and spices. It's traditionally made a month before Christmas and is a symbol of good luck and happiness for the coming year.
What is the tradition of eating the 12 mince pies? ›
They became a popular treat around the festive period thanks to a tradition from the middle ages, which saw people eat a mince pie for 12 days from Christmas day to Twelfth Night. Doing this was believed to bring you happiness for the next 12 months.
What do mince pies represent at Christmas? ›
According to my favourite historian of Christmas, Gerry Bowler, mince pies are not just delicious they are full of symbolism. The original mince pies were oblong crib shapes decorated with a baby Jesus on top. The contents represent the gifts of the Magi to the Christ child, spices and plump middle eastern fruits.
What is it called a mince pie? ›
A mince pie (also mincemeat pie in North America, and fruit mince pie in Australia and New Zealand) is a sweet pie of English origin filled with mincemeat, being a mixture of fruit, spices and suet. The pies are traditionally served during the Christmas season in much of the English-speaking world.
Why is it illegal to eat mince pies on Christmas Day in England? ›
It has been claimed that eating the snack is illegal in England if done so on Christmas Day. The tradition comes from the time of Oliver Cromwell in the 1650s, when mince pies were banned at Christmas, along with other tasty treats. Cromwell wanted to tackle gluttony in England.
What is the superstition about mince pies? ›
One superstition from the middle ages suggests that if you eat a mince pie every day from Christmas day to Twelfth Night (evening of the 5th January) you will be guaranteed happiness for the next 12 months mmmm!
Why do we leave mince pies at Christmas? ›
During medieval times it was common to mix sweet and savoury ingredients. Honey and dried fruits were pricey and hard to come by so using them in your meals was a sign of wealth. This made spiced pies a special treat reserved for important occasions like Easter or Christmas.
Why do people eat mince pies? ›
Mince pies were originally made to celebrate Jesus. They were oblong in shape to represent the manger that Jesus slept in as a baby and have a 'pastry baby Jesus' carved into the pastry. Traditionally one mince pie is eaten for the Twelve days of Christmas.
There is a tradition of eating one mince pie each day over the 12 days of Christmas from Christmas Eve to 5 January.
What is the 12 days of Christmas mince pies? ›
of Christmas it brings good luck for the year ahead. According to tradition, you must also make a wish. when eating your first mince pie of the season.
What were medieval pies filled with? ›
In medieval England, they were called pyes, and instead of being predominantly sweet, they were most often filled with meat — beef, lamb, wild duck, magpie pigeon — spiced with pepper, currants or dates.
What odd ingredient did mince pies once contain? ›
Martin Fone investigates the most traditional seasonal food of all, mince pies, and finds that they really did contain meat at one time in the past. Just be grateful you never got served one made with fish...
Why were mince pies coffin shape? ›
These were nothing like our mince pies of today. They were large, seriously large, and oblong as they were designed to serve a number of people. The pastry case, called a coffin, was just a container for the delicious filling and was never meant to be eaten – well not by the rich!
What is mincemeat pie made of? ›
Historically, mincemeat pie did contain meat, such as mutton, beef, or even game meats, alongside fruits and spices. However, modern versions focus on a delectable, sweet blend of dried fruits, spices, and sometimes rum or brandy.
